iPhone game of the day: Buster Red

Reddy for blast-off (har har)

Game:Buster RedPrice: $0.99Size: 17.2MBBuy it now from the iTunes Store:US/UK

You can never have enough top-down shooters. Unless of course you just inherently hate fun. Buster Red is a damn fine one, too, with a neat art style, some clever ideas, and a solid control interface. What could go wrong? Very little, it would appear.

Buster Red's fundamentals don't stray too far from the beaten path. You have a ship, you have a screen full of enemies, and you have a buggerload of power ups with which to annihilate them.

The clever level design is what sets Buster Red apart from the pack. Unique challenges such as maze-like walls or rotating blocks theme each level and provide a constantly shifting challenge that keeps the player on his toes. There are plenty of challenging bosses that pepper the way, and the quick nature of the stages means that nothing feels formulaic for long.

Added into the mix is a rather fetching art style that looks hand-drawn but without the tackiness that often accompanies such graphics on the iPhone. It looks classy, has some decent music, and is full of really cool visual effects, especially with the varied selection of power-ups.

There are quite a few good shooters on the iPhone, and despite its humble status and lack of hype, Buster Red is definite up there with the top contenders. Fan of the genre? Check it out!